BASC’s new communications centre – the Duke of Edinburgh Building -  is up and running, thanks to the generosity of many thousands of members. But a lot of work is still needed to fulfil its potential in the digital age.

Today’s media require an instant response – and in the world of TV if something doesn’t happen on camera, it may as well not have happened at all

Thanks to the outstanding generosity of members who responded to our appeal for funds, the building was completed on time and now houses the press office, together with our publications and design department that produces our magazine, codes of practice and other BASC literature, and the teams that manage our membership marketing, fundraising, policy, politics and the BASC website.

Now we need to equip the studios with the latest video and audio production equipment for the digital age.

Lessons from the Cumbrian tragedy

The urgent demands of the media to the recent tragic events in Cumbria have clearly shown how important it will be to have a fully-equipped communications centre. Our newly installed radio studio enabled us to get spokesmen onto live programmes such as Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine Show with less than 30 minutes notice to give the counter argument against a complete ban on the personal ownership of all guns.

We had many requests from national television for stock video footage of game shooting and related activities – it is impossible to arrange these on the day and out of season. We also had requests for footage of how certificate holders store their guns securely. A working video library of footage filmed by BASC will allow all these demands to be met and provide an accurate representation of shooting.

Setting up video production facilities will be expensive - somewhere in the region of £25,000 - and to help us prepare for the next ten years we are looking once more to our members to help.  To this end we are launching an appeal for funds.

Your donations will enable us to meet a wide range of multi-media challenges. These include:

• Setting up TV interviews with experts representing shooting interests

• Supplying recorded news clips and interviews to broadcasters
 
• Producing “how-to” videos illustrating different aspects of shooting and conservation in the field. These will help members, Young Shots and those looking at us from the outside

• Producing showcase films, such as our acclaimed Green Shoots conservation film which gives politicians and influential decision makers a quick guide to the work which BASC and its members undertake in the countryside

• Building up a stock video library of footage from shooting sports, making hard-to-get film - such as deer in their habitat, deer stalking, wildfowling and game shooting  - readily available when broadcasters need it

• Creating video versions of important BASC publications like the Police Guide to Shooters

News broadcasters are hungry for footage in a time when 24-hour rolling news is the norm, but when there is also increasing budgetary pressure on crews and reporters, so fewer people are expected to produce more news. That situation creates an opportunity for BASC to promote shooting.

We must take advantage of this and equip our video production studios.

We are appealing for help to make this vision a reality. The future of shooting is in all our hands.

Click here to donate online

You can make a donation in one of three ways:

• By mail - sending a cheque made payable to BASC and addressed to BASC Equipment Appeal, Marford Mill, Rossett, Wrexham LL12 0HL. Please include a note of either your membership number or address so that we can express our thanks.

• Online  - you can make a donation securely by logging into the members’ area of the BASC website.

• By phone – donations can be made by credit or debit card by calling our membership team on 01244 573020.